I have an allotment in Trefforest (near Pontypridd). I have had it since last autumn and have included a before and after shot. The last photo was taken in early spring so theres not much going on, I will take a more up to date photo soon. I was wondering if anyone here grows Welsh varieties of fruit and veg, I would love to hear about it.

I haven't heard of any varieties but was hoping for some local knowledge :)

I was inspired by something I watched on the telly about preserving local apple varieties, but a search on the interweb produced nothing except an apple variety from north wales which isn't exactly local to me.

When I went to the lottie today, something had been munching on him. All that was left was a length of intestine with a stomach bag at the end. Not pleasant, but a lot better to dispose of than half a rat.

While I was there, my neighbour gave me 6 seed potatoes. They are the 'smile' ones, red with a yellow smile on them. I think I may grow them in black buckets in the greenhouse, as blight got everyones potatoes last year, and I dont want to loose these.

My globe artichokes are doing well, some just under the size of a tennis ball. I dont know how long I have got before they start to flower, but I will leave them a bit longer, as the ones I have seen in the shops are a lot bigger.

I live in Treforest and am really keen to get hold of an allotment on the site that yours is on, could you tell me who I need to contact please?I'm literally just up the road from the site and desperate to start growing my own produce!

Hi, his name is Clive Greenway, If I can find his number I will PM it to you. Alternatively, you can get if from Rhondda Cynon Taff council (explain that you're looking for a plot in the tin works allotment) and they will give you his number. I am away for a week now but will be back next Saturday. If you need any more help then just let me know.

My street is full of brances off the trees. A tree on the field behind me has blown over. My fence panels are doing a jig ::)

I am dreading to think what is happening at the lottie, but I definately am not going over to check in these gales :o

My greenhouse over the lottie is a little , shall we say, less than perfect, so I am dreading seeing the state on it. I should water my tomatoes in there, but I dont think it is a good idea to go in it till the wind drops.

caroline what was your lottie like toms been fed well well mine wasthe same everything looks like it had a hurricane through it fence was doing the samba i lost four of my squash plants too much water in a short space rotted the stems out tried to save them by re potting >:( >:( >:( >:( didnt work well try and try again lucky have four more three gords and some thing called sunshine looks like little patty pan chillie

My lottie was a bit windswept, but not too badly waterlogged as I have raised beds. My lottie neighbour has lost a lot of seed potatoes. He dug them up to check and they had rotted away with the wet.

I have planted a few more squash to replace the ones that didnt make it. All my outdoor cukes have given up the ghost :( Too wet and cold for them.

Picked some globe artichokes this morning. They were OK, but I dont think I'll pick any more, as far too fussy to eat. I am looking forward to trying the jerusalem artichokes I am growing for 1st time this year.

Anyone else tried them? What do they taste like?

Hopefully, the weather next week will help us all dry out a bit ;D

I bought a gazebo for the garden this morning at last. £40 from focus. It's bigger than my last one....a bit too big really, but at least it is the type I was looking for. As the garden is on a slope, I was worried a 4 legged one might be too unstable. This one has 6. Let's hope I get plenty of opportunity to use it this year ::)

last night, something different seems to have been in my garden. This morning, a few squash plants had been pulled up, and some basil plants were squashed. Nothing was eaten. Anyone got any ideas what it could be?

Hi CarolineJerusalem Artichokes are very easy to grow. They will grow to about 8' tall and if you are lucky you will get a yellow flower. They are very hardy and can be dug up when you want to eat them but beware every little tuber left in the ground will grow next year.Not very nice to peel because the tubers can be very knobly. Taste is ??. I have used mine as a componenent of Artichoke and leek soup. Apparently they can be boiled, roasted, chipped or anything like potatoes but they can have an adverse effect on the digestive tract and flatulence means the alternative name of *artichokes is very apt.

d**n forgot to come back again! So sorry! In answer to the question several pages back - yes I can just about see the Severn bridge from my house - the second one anyway! :D

Dh is at the allotment now and I have faith that he is winning the battle of the weeds. We'd left the middle of the lottie but he's had to clear it as I grew too much for the tiny veggie patch at home! Oops! Got tomatoes everywhere in the garden so think I might start supplying tesco once the toms start.... :D I think I have 12 plants in growbags and another 6 or so in my veggie patch. Got another 10 or so to go in the lottie. Methinks they breed when I'm not looking ;D ::)

I think I've got garlic in the herb garden but I'm not sure. Is there a way to tell without digging it up? Stupid question I know but there were spring onions spare too and I shoved them in where there was space and now I don't know what has grown! ::)

nsutherland.. hello ;D Hope the sun will be shining for you in Newport tomorrow.

smileyk... I think I overdid the tomato plants too ::) There were so many different varieties I wanted to try, I couldnt chose which, so grew them all. Birds certainly seem to be nibbling a lot of my veg :(

I am growing tumbling tom and balconi hanging tomatoes. The balconi are sturdy and smaller than the tumbling toms, but I have had to take the TT's out of the greenhouse and put them in a raised bed, as I couldnt keep up with the watering on the hottest days. Even twice a day wasnt enough. The balconi will go a day and a half at a push. I think the TTs will win on the amount of toms, but only if the dreaded blight doesnt get them where they are outdoors. I'll keep you posted.

I picked quite a few strawberries this evening. I pic kthem when they are just over half red, as the mice beat me to them if I leave them longer. They ripen within a day on a sunny windowsil.

Also picked 9 globe artichokes. They are in a pan, boiling at this very moment ::) I didnt like them at first, but now have found they are really nice added to other roast veg (toms, pepper, garlic and mushrooms with plenty of basil).

I am growing shallots for the first time this year. My friend told me today that they make lovely pickled onions, much firmer than usual and stronger. I will give it a go ;D Anyone else tried this?